France

VIVE LA FRANCE! 

For the last eight editions the country to beat in the FIM SuperMoto of Nations has been France and this year’s event followed the script initially written in 2014 when the French team began a win-streak they extended to nine in 2023. 

Staged at Castelletto di Branduzzo in Italy, the event brought together fifteen different countries in mid-October all with the same ultimate goal – to establish their nation as the sport’s number one – with the defending champions once again starting as favourites. 

With so much talent at their disposal, the French are able to introduce rising stars into their Senior team. In 2022 Nicolas Cousin joined established riders Thomas Chareyre and Sylvain Bidart and this year Steve Bonnal – TM got the call-up to replace the injured Chareyre alongside Cousin – Honda and Bidart – Honda.  

A member of last year’s victorious Junior team, Bonnal – who is mentored by seven-time S1GP champion Chareyre – was untroubled by his promotion to the Senior squad and led the opening race from lap two until the chequered flag and his win, coupled with a forceful charge to fourth from Cousin, gave the French an early lead. 

Bidart started race two in pole position before losing places to Austria’s Lukas Hollbacher – KTM who was very strong in the off-road sections and Elia Sammartin – TM from Italy. However, Bidart’s third-placed finish was backed up by Cousin in fifth to strengthen the French lead. 

The third race decided the destination of the FIM SuperMoto of Nations silverware for another twelve months and Bonnal showed great maturity to bring it home in a safe second behind Hollbacher to ensure the French were champions again ahead of Italy and Spain. 

PALMARES 

S1oN World Champions: 2007, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023 

THE DOMINATORS!

There is no doubt that as far as the FIM SuperMoto of Nations is concerned, France is the country to beat – it is just that no other nation appears to be able to manage this!

Heading into the 2022 edition, France had been champions an amazing ten times from fifteen attempts and had won every year since 2014 so it was no surprise that its three-man team started as odds-on favourites at the World-famous Circuit Jules Tacheny at Mettet in Belgium at the end of July.

For 2022 Nicolas Cousin – Yamaha joined established team riders Thomas Chareyre – TM and Sylvain Bidart – Honda in the French line-up.

The reigning champions dominated the opening day’s Qualification races with Chareyre on top in group one, Cousin leading home group two and Bidart third in group three to send France through to the main races in pole ahead of Italy and the host nation.

France carried its domination through to the following day with multiple World champion Chareyre winning Sunday’s opening race by over ten seconds and Cousin providing rock-solid back-up in third.

Race two was won by S1GP main man Marc-Reiner Schmidt – TM for Germany, but a third and fourth from Bidart and Cousin meant that the French were firmly in control heading into the final race of the day.

Schmidt then claimed his second win of the day, but Chareyre was snapping at his heels in second and with Bidart fourth the victory was in the bag for France on thirteen points – half the total of the second-placed team.

Just how dominant is France at this event? Well, the second-placed team in question was France Junior comprising Axel Marie-Luce – TM, Youry Catherine – Honda and Steve Bonnal – TM!

PALMARES

SMoN World Champions: 2007, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022

Team manager: Sebastien Poirier 
Riders: Thomas Chareyre, Germain Vincenot-Marchal, Sylvain Bidart

VIVE LA FRANCE! 

When it comes to the FIM SuperMoto of Nations, France is the undisputed powerhouse of the event and its team of Thomas Chareyre (TM), Germain Vincenot-Marchal (Suzuki) and Sylvain Bidart (Suzuki) did the business once again this year. 

Heading into the 2021 edition, France had been champions an amazing nine times from fourteen attempts and had won every year since 2014 so on home soil at the Circuit Carole on the outskirts of Paris the French trio started as firm favourites. 

Fielding an altered line-up for the first time since 2016 with Vincenot-Marchal replacing Laurent Fath, the French team had to fight hard to retain the title. 

Chareyre won the opening race, but with Vincenot-Marchal back in fourteenth the early advantage was held by Spain as the French lay fifth. 

Vincenot-Marchal made amends in race two with a storming second place and combined with Bidart’s solid eighth-place showing the home team advanced to second in the standings behind Italy. 

The destination of the prestigious silverware now all hinged on the final race – and Chareyre and Bidart came out swinging. 

Bidart led the early laps before slipping back to third, but Chareyre staged an epic charge through the field, advancing from seventh on the opening lap to take the lead in the closing stages. 

With three laps to go the result was still in the balance after Elia Sammartin (TM) hit the front, but a last-lap pass by Chareyre on the Italian put the result beyond doubt.

FUTUREPROOF FRANCE AT THE DOUBLE!

Team France extended their domination of the FIM Supermoto of Nations for another season with overall victory on home territory in Tremblay-en-France, near Paris. Despite inclement weather a large crowd found their way to the Circuit Carole in the early morning, lining the spectacularly fast track to watch established heroes Thomas Chareyre (TM), Laurent Fath (KTM) and Sylvain Bidart (Honda) take lead roles, although the star of the show was arguably Emerick Bunod (Honda), who took overall victory in a wet first race as he led the home nation Junior team to a sensational one-two overall. 

After taking second to his young compatriot in the opening event, the legendary Chareyre roared to victory in race three after watching his teammate Bidart do the same in tricky conditions in the second race, which only went ahead after great work from the circuit officials to prepare the off-road sections on the over two kilometre track, despite the continued downpour. Meanwhile, Diego Monticelli (TM) and Elia Sammartin (Honda) scored a podium apiece for Team Italy in race one and three respectively, ensuring they would hold off Germany for third overall, despite a strong second place in race two for Steffen Albrecht (Husqvarna). 

However, a total of five podium finishes for Chareyre, Fath and Bidart combined to give the French an unassailable points-lead and their sixth successive gold medal in the discipline. Meanwhile, Bunod and his teammates Nicolas Cousin (Honda) and Axel Marie-Luce (Yamaha) ensured the future of the series looks almost certain to remain in French hands.

FRANCE, CHALLENGED BUT UNBEATEN!

Team France took gold in the 2018 FIM SuperMoto of Nations for the fifth successive season although this was one of the closest and most entertaining editions of the series yet. Race day started at Circuit de la Ribera in Guadassuar, Spain, in warm and sunny conditions with fans packing out the stands of the fast and spectacular racetrack near Valencia and they weren’t to be disappointed with three dramatic and exciting races.

Team Italy rider Diego Monticelli took the holeshot in the first race but he was passed immediately by French pole setter Laurent Fath in the second corner, with Team Spain’s Joan Llados and Milan Sitniansky of the Czech Republic also riding well. When Fath lost ground after twisting his back wheel on a jump, Monticelli pounced for the lead but Team France’s Thomas Chareyre had also made a great start from fourteenth on the grid and was soon closing the gap, making his move with four laps to go to seal the victory ahead of the Italian and the impressive Czech.

In race two it was the third French rider Sylvain Bidart who took the holeshot in front of Monticelli and Sitniansky, whilst his teammate Fath also had a good start from fourteenth and was out for revenge after his technical problems in race one, rapidly climbing up to fourth position. This time it was Bidart that got unlucky, a puncture in his rear tyre ruling him out of podium contention as Monticelli came through for the win, with Fath securing a crucial second place for the French ahead of Sitniansky.

Solid supporting rides from Erik Provaznik and Petr Vorlicek meant that the Czech team led the way into the final race ahead of Spain, Italy and France, but neither were able to make the podium in a dramatic affair that saw Bidart and Chareyre take first and third place, either side of Elia Sammartin in second, as France claimed the win by a single point.

FRANCE OUT IN FRONT AGAIN

France took their sixth victory from twelve editions of the FIM Supermoto of Nations on home territory when the 2017 edition took place in warm and sunny conditions at the Circuit Carole in Tremblay-en-France in September. With the sun out early, lots of spectators found their way to the racetrack near Paris and the grandstands were packed full of Supermoto fans. Circuit Carole is one of the best venues in Europe and all riders felt at home on the spectacular, fast track giving the crowd some fantastic entertainment over the two days of the event. 

As in the individual series, Supermoto legend Thomas Chareyre (TM) was pushed hard by emerging German rivals Markus Class (Husqvarna) and Marc-Reiner Schmidt (SWM) but the Frenchman was ably assisted by Laurent Fath (Honda) and Sylvain Bidart (Honda), who spread the team success over the three races to ensure overall victory. 

After qualifying wins for Chareyre and Fath, the pair finished first and third respectively in the first race, which was for the nominated group 1 and group 2 riders. Class took second place in that race but in the absence of Chareyre in race 2, which was for group 2 and group 3 riders, he took advantage to steal a much-needed victory for Germany. Crucially, however, with Fath and Bidart alongside him on the podium it was advantage France going into the final race. 

With the group 1 riders back in alongside group 3, Chareyre was unleashed once more and with Bidart riding shotgun the pair stormed to a French one-two that put the seal on their fourth title in a row, whilst third place for Edgardo Borella (SWM) secured third overall for Italy.